Do You Use a Divot Repair Tool?

[Pendragon]

You holding a course record means nothing. Tees can more readily damage the green than a proper tool. This makes it a very undesirable tool to use when other tools that are less damaging than a tee. 

I respect your opinion, and would never suggest what type of tool that you, or anyone else, should be using. I happen to have been using a tee for a long time, and the USGA's Course Care video (viewable at usga.org) shows a tee as one of several acceptable choices for fixing ball marks. 

I would add that any course would be lucky to have someone like iacas on their professional staff. Clearly, he's very dedicated to educating his members in proper golf course maintenance techniques, and should be commended for that. But it's his OPINION (yours, too, I guess) that tees should never be used to fix ball marks...the USGA and I think otherwise. We'll have to agree to disagree.

I'm flabbergasted at how much discussion has been generated over the use of divot tools. If I'm counting correctly, my initial comment about using a tee hasprompted 6 replies...wow! But nobody has said anything about the USGA's video on the subject. If tees are so undesirable for this purpose, why does the sport's foremost governing body endorse their use? Thanks for your input. 

[Fourputt]

I respect your opinion, and would never suggest what type of tool that you, or anyone else, should be using. I happen to have been using a tee for a long time, and the USGA's Course Care video (viewable at usga.org) shows a tee as one of several acceptable choices for fixing ball marks. 

I would add that any course would be lucky to have someone like iacas on their professional staff. Clearly, he's very dedicated to educating his members in proper golf course maintenance techniques, and should be commended for that. But it's his OPINION (yours, too, I guess) that tees should never be used to fix ball marks...the USGA and I think otherwise. We'll have to agree to disagree.

I'm flabbergasted at how much discussion has been generated over the use of divot tools. If I'm counting correctly, my initial comment about using a tee hasprompted 6 replies...wow! But nobody has said anything about the USGA's video on the subject. If tees are so undesirable for this purpose, why does the sport's foremost governing body endorse their use? Thanks for your input. 

 

They endorse fixing pitch marks, but they also endorse using the best method available to do the best job possible.  Why do you feel that just because you've used a tee for 100 years or whatever, that there might not be a better solution?  Are you so fixed in your ways that you can't take a suggestion?  

 

By the way, I've been playing for more than 40 years myself, I don't hold a course record, but I did play tournament competition for 22 years, yet I'm willing to try something new if it's suggested that it just might be better than what I'm doing.   I know that I never owned a pitch mark repair tool in my early days, but I so rarely hit the ball to the green with anything more than a pitch that it really wasn't important.  I don't even remember when I got the first one, but I know I've had at least one in my bag (and in my pocket when I play) for at least 35 years.  I've got a half dozen of the fancy ones the USGA sends out to commemorate US Opens, but I don't use them because they have rounded tines and they do NOT do work as effectively as the flat tined ones.  

 

I have at least 3 different versions of the flat style in my bag right now, and I use whichever one comes to hand.   The fancy ones sit in a box in my desk at home until some day when I might find a way to display them.  That's about all I feel they are good for.

[Missouri Swede]

There's no argument here, despite your trying to start one. When someone makes a blanket statement that tees are not acceptable for fixing ball marks, I reserve the right to disagree. And it looks like the USGA agrees with me. 

The USGA video I saw has a note that implies that using a tee is "a common but less turf-friendly method you should avoid."

[vangator]

I often forget to grab a divot repair tool at the beginning of the game, so on the first green I'll use a tee instead of leaving it unfixed.  I'll then get my divot tool.

[Pendragon]

The USGA video I saw has a note that implies that using a tee is "a common but less turf-friendly method you should avoid."

Nice try, Swede. There's no reference anywhere in the USGA video that singles out tees as being less effective. The clip that you show is detailing different methods of fixing ball marks, and has nothing to do with any specific tool or utensil. In fact, towards the end of the video, the proper way is shown and the player is using a tee. 

[saevel25]

Nice try, Swede. There's no reference anywhere in the USGA video that singles out tees as being less effective. The clip that you show is detailing different methods of fixing ball marks, and has nothing to do with any specific tool or utensil. In fact, towards the end of the video, the proper way is shown and the player is using a tee. 

The USGA video says the ball marks vary in shape and severity, and says virtually any pointed tool will work as long as the proper method is used. I disagree with this. The type of soil and the overall dryness of the soil matters a lot. 

As pointed out in the article listed above certain tools are OK when used in soft conditions but are not good for dry conditions. I have to agree with that from experience. If you have dry conditions I've see tees just rip through the grass unable to repair the pitch mark correctly even with proper technique. The reason being the dry soil becomes unstable for the tee to properly repair the pitch mark. In the end tees will just tear through the grass and soil with out doing any proper repair.

I give credit that the USGA at least puts out a video on how to properly repair a pitch mark. They do not go into enough detail on the proper tools to use and under what conditions certain tools should not be used. 
 

[Abu3baid]

The USGA video says the ball marks vary in shape and severity, and says virtually any pointed tool will work as long as the proper method is used. I disagree with this. The type of soil and the overall dryness of the soil matters a lot. 
As pointed out in the article listed above certain tools are OK when used in soft conditions but are not good for dry conditions. I have to agree with that from experience. If you have dry conditions I've see tees just rip through the grass unable to repair the pitch mark correctly even with proper technique. The reason being the dry soil becomes unstable for the tee to properly repair the pitch mark. In the end tees will just tear through the grass and soil with out doing any proper repair.

I give credit that the USGA at least puts out a video on how to properly repair a pitch mark. They do not go into enough detail on the proper tools to use and under what conditions certain tools should not be used. 
 

do you usually check the dryness and then decide to use a tee or not?  You mentioned that you tend to use a tee, but do you carry a repair tool as well?

I never learned how to do it with a tee myself, I use one of the tools sold by a fancy country club.. You know one of those that are unacceptable and disrespectful to the course.. :)

[Jeremie Boop]

Bull. I know the type, and they're bad. Unless you've shaved it down to be really narrow, thin, and pointy, it's a bad tool.

P.S. The graphic isn't mine, and so yes, the spelling of "unacceptable" is unacceptable to me, too.

Interesting, I have one that would appear to land in the "unacceptable" side but the tines are pretty sharp and thin. The opening is a bit wide, but no wider than the left most of the 3 best options in that picture. I picked it up at the store because it was inexpensive and it had the ball mark integrated. Being that it was so cheap it wouldn't hurt me to have to stop using it and get a different one, but it seems to do the job as well as the stamped ones I had bought from the course previously.

[Fourputt]

Nice try, Swede. There's no reference anywhere in the USGA video that singles out tees as being less effective. The clip that you show is detailing different methods of fixing ball marks, and has nothing to do with any specific tool or utensil. In fact, towards the end of the video, the proper way is shown and the player is using a tee. 

Have you ever actually tried a proper tool?  Or are you so stuck in your ways that you can't be bothered with listening to polite suggestions.  I've used most every type of repair tool there is and I can say from that point of experience that the tee does NOT work as well as a dedicated tool, no matter how carefully you use it.  Whether you agree or not doesn't matter - that is a simple fact.

 

Since you have failed acknowledge any of my attempted explanations, I have to assume that your mind is closed on this subject, so I'm not going to try any more after this post.  

[Fourputt]

I just went through the accessory pouch in my golf bag and these are the ones I was currently carrying.  The one in the middle of the bottom row is my most used one.  That and the Old Works one are the only ones I've ever actually bought.  I paid $2 for it at my former home course many years ago.  It works well.  

 

The bottom left one is not much good, even though it has flat tines, because they are straight and spread too wide apart - they tend to rip through rather than push the turf toward the center.  The same is true for the one bottom right.  

 

The one at top left I've never used because it has rounded tines - looks pretty but isn't very effective.  I found it on the course a few years ago and it's been on a free ride ever since (shows how often I clean out my bag  ).

 

The three in the middle of the bottom row, and the one top right are the best ones, and they are the ones that make up my regular rotation.

 

[saevel25]

do you usually check the dryness and then decide to use a tee or not?  

You mentioned that you tend to use a tee, but do you carry a repair tool as well?

I never learned how to do it with a tee myself, I use one of the tools sold by a fancy country club.. You know one of those that are unacceptable and disrespectful to the course.. :)

I'll take extra care with the repair if I notice the green is extra dry or just tearing apart. I am going to try not to use the tee anymore. 

[Abu3baid]

I'll take extra care with the repair if I notice the green is extra dry or just tearing apart. I am going to try not to use the tee anymore. 

I have to wait till I'm back home to actually get a good repair tool.. I only own bad ones..  But they do a pretty good job still IMO.. I can't tell there was a pitch mark usually..

[phan52]

I have never bought a ball repair tool. I have dozens lying around that I have accumulated over the years and all of them were either tee gifts or gratis from golf clubs who are interested in people taking care of their golf course.

Edited October 12, 2015 by phan52

[Pretzel]

My favorite ball mark repair tool is one of the same design as the one stamped "Old Works" in this picture. I got four or five of them for free when a course changed names (Vista Ridge became Colorado National after being acquired by a new owner) and they seem to work the best of any I've used previously.

[DrvFrShow]

I use one like the one on the bottom row second from the right. I think I have a dozen of them.

[JonMA1]

After watching the video again the other night, I modified mine with a grinder.

[BuckeyeNut]

This is one of those thread where the tool of choice is less important....................

What matters?..............does the golfer understand the proper method to repair a pitch mark?   I cringe when I see golfers ripping roots loose in the middle and pulling the middle up........or tossing loose dirt on top and patting down...ugh..

 

 

[vangator]

The guy in the video looks to be using a tool with fairly big tines.  I think the technique is more important than the size of the tines.  I see no problem using a tee.  It can do the same job as the tool.  I like the tool because it is just easier to handle and quicker.  He calls it a pitch fork.  When I hear divot, I think of the turf in the fairway.

Edited October 14, 2015 by vangator